Middle East Near You

Syria regime arrests returning Palestinian refugees

Civilians put their belongings in a convoy as they leave the Yarmouk camp in Syria on 29 April 2018 [Muhammed Abdullah/Anadolu Agency]

December 18, 2018 at 2:57 pm

Coordinator-General of Maseer Association, Ayman Abu Hashem said the Syrian regime has arrested a number of Palestinian refugees who had voluntarily returned to Damascus.

Abu Hashem told Arabi21 news site that the Syrian regime has arrested about 13 Palestinian refugees over the past few days, including five refugees who were arrested upon their arrival at Damascus airport coming from Europe to Damascus via Iran. The refugees were later taken to the Palestinian Affairs Division.

“The Syrian regime has also arrested a number of Palestinian refugees who returned from Europe via Lebanon,” he added.

Abu Hashem said that the Palestinian detainees are not politically active but the Syrian regime wants to convey a message to all Palestinian refugees that their return to Syria has become “undesirable”.

Meanwhile, the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria confirmed that the Syrian security forces had arrested a number of Palestinian refugees who voluntarily returned from Europe after fighting stopped in Yarmouk refugee camp.

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